Prostate and Testicular Cancer
Men have a much greater chance of getting cancer, and a much higher propensity to die from it. Our goal is to minimize this disparity and to educate our male patients to take steps to reduce their risks. If cancer is detected, our patient-centered approach takes into account men’s behaviors and communicates ways to improve their chances of survival.
Prostate Cancer at a Glance
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, after skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men.
Steps to Diagnosis
Prevention
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Symptoms
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men. Early-stage prostate cancer usually has no symptoms, however there are screening tests that can help detect cancer before it spreads. Late-stage symptoms can be indicated by frequent, strained, painful or weak urination; blood in your urine or pain in your bones, and may indicate advanced or spread of disease.
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Steps to Diagnosis
Early detection is especially important for prostate cancer. So be sure to visit your primary care physician regularly and consider PSA testing. If cancer is suspected, your physician may refer you to one of our genitourinary oncology specialists for further testing.
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Common Concerns
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. However, most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. African-American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, as well as men with immediate relatives who have or had prostate cancer. When you turn 50, talk to your primary care physician about the pros and cons of regular prostate cancer screenings. You should start talking with your provider at age 45 if you are African-American or have family members with a history of prostate cancer.
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Prevention
To decrease your risk of prostate cancer, maintain a healthy body weight, avoid excess red meat or charred meat in your diet and be cautious when using any testosterone supplements.
Testicular Cancer at a Glance
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men 15-34 years of age. The most common sign of testicular cancer is a lump or swelling in the testicle. Most testicular cancers can be cured, even if they are diagnosed at an advanced stage.
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Symptoms
Testicular cancer is most commonly a disease of younger, adult men. Any lump, hardness, tenderness or enlarged area of your testicle could be the first signs of testicular cancer, and should be evaluated by a doctor immediately. Most other symptoms don’t appear until after the cancer has spread, including back or abdominal pain, weight loss, chronic cough or swollen lymph nodes.
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Steps to Diagnosis
Often an ultrasound of the testicles and blood tests can aid in diagnosis, but immediate referral to a Urologist or Genitourinary Cancer specialists is critical to care.
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Common Concerns
Most testicular cancers can be cured, even if they are diagnosed at an advanced stage. However, some treatment for testicular cancer can cause infertility, so men who want to have children may want to use sperm banking to store sperm before they begin treatment.
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Prevention
Be sure to check yourself regularly and see your primary care physician immediately if you discover any new lumps, numbness, or changes in your testicles.
Treatment
Prostate cancer usually grows slowly, and your physician may recommend more frequent testing or other monitoring before suggesting additional treatment:
Testicular cancer is usually treated immediately and often starts with a surgical approach.
Surgery to remove the prostate and surrounding tissues is often performed, and most often done robotically through small incisions. Early testicular cancer surgery typically involves removal of the testicle, which is usually same day surgery. Sometimes, removal of the lymph nodes is recommended, depending on the subtype of cancer.
Surveillance is the most common treatment for low grade prostate cancer and low stage testicular cancer. This usually involves repeat biopsies, lab testing and periodic imaging tests with CT scan or MRI.
Radiation therapy includes the use of external radiation (high-powered energy beams such as X-rays) or internal radiation (brachytherapy delivered directly to the tumor). We have expertise in conventional external radiation therapy, specialized stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) whereby conventional treatment is reduced to five focused and precise treatments, as well as in high-dose-rate brachytherapy in which tubes are utilized to deliver radiation directly into the tumor.
Intravenous and/or oral medication that attacks and kills cancer cells in the body.
Intravenous medication that stimulates your immune system, helping it recognize and destroy cancer cells.
Our Approach
Most testicular cancer responds well to treatment, even in advanced stages. And most prostate cancer is just the opposite, and early detection and careful treatment are critical. Wherever you are, we’re right there with you – because cancer is personal to us.
Our interdisciplinary team considers the right care plan from multiple perspectives, often consulting with our internal team of experts to gather up-to-the-moment insight on treatment options.
Then, your course of treatment will be designed to suit your exact medical needs, using precision medicine to do the most good while remaining minimally invasive. That means we’re focused not just on eradicating the disease, but on preserving your quality of life before, during, and after your treatment.
We are here to help you heal as a whole person. Wherever your care path leads, you can be sure our entire team will be there with you every step of the way.
Patient Testimonial
Continuing Support
Wherever your individual care plan takes you, we’ll work closely with you to understand your preferences, and your needs – and be sure any additional support is ready when you need it, including:
- Dietary or nutrition advisors, providing special focus and attention for chemo patients
- Genetic counselors to help you understand your risk factors
- Social workers dedicated to easing your emotional burdens and helping with community benefits
- Financial counselors to help you understand the financial aspect and work with you to reduce the burden when possible
- Specialty pharmacy liaisons who help authorize your prescriptions and educate you on managing side effects and taking your medicine properly
- Nurse navigators to help guide you throughout the cancer institute, every step of the way
- Physical and rehabilitation therapists who provide integrated care alongside your primary care plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Dignity Health offers the most advanced procedures in colorectal cancer surgery. Our team of oncology experts are sensitive to your urgent needs and have compassion and humankindness. Our specialists work side-by-side to carefully review complex cases and develop personalized treatment plans.
Our skilled surgeons use minimally invasive surgical procedures to reduce risk and optimize outcomes. We invest in advanced imaging technologies and radiation therapies to target tumors with greater precision.
You should choose Dignity Health because we’ve built a reputation for innovative therapies and surgical techniques that minimize the need for temporary or permanent colostomies. Our holistic approach is evident in services designed to treat the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
The term “genitourinary” refers to the body’s urinary system and its connection to the genitals. The services provided in the Genitourinary (GU) Cancer Program at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center include the care and treatment of patients with malignant disease of the prostate, bladder, kidney, penis, testicles, urethra, and adrenal gland.
Doctors recognize how critical disease-specific expertise can be when treating cancer. And for patients and their loved ones, understanding more about these GU cancers can advance understanding of the treatment that may be selected, based on genetic profile, lifestyle, and individual circumstances.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our disease-specific oncologists, please call (602) 406-8222.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, after skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that nearly 221,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, but when diagnosed early, nearly 99 percent of patients survive at least five years.
The prostate lies just below the bladder in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine and semen through the penis and out of the body). Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids, according to the NCI. Prostate cancer often has no early symptoms and usually grows very slowly.
A majority of men with prostate cancer are older than 65 and do not die from the disease. More advanced prostate cancers can sometimes cause symptoms, the American Cancer Society says, such as:
blood in urine
trouble getting an erection
problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night
pain in the hips, back, chest, or other areas from cancer that has spread to the bones
weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord
For more information specifically about prostate cancer, visit this page put together by the National Cancer Institute: cancer.gov/types/prostate. For information about survival rates for prostate cancer, visit seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/prost.html.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men 15-34 years of age, according to the NCI. The NCI estimates that 8,400 American men will be diagnosed with this kind of cancer this year. The most common sign of testicular cancer is a lump or swelling in the testicle. Most testicular cancers can be cured, even if they are diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Treatment for testicular cancer can cause infertility by decreasing the amount of sperm made by the body. Men who want to have children may want to use sperm banking to store sperm before they begin treatment.
For more information specifically about testicular cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/testicular. For information about survival rates for testicular cancer, visit seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/testis.html.
Penile cancer is caused in about one-third of cases by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Circumcision (removal of the foreskin) may help prevent infection with HPV and decrease the risk of penile cancer. When found early, penile cancer can usually be cured, according to the NCI.
The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,800 American men will be diagnosed with cancer of the penis this year. Symptoms can include:
an area of skin becoming thicker and/or changing color
a lump on the penis
an ulcer (sore) that might bleed
a reddish, velvety rash
small, crusty bumps
flat, bluish-brown growths
discharge (fluid) under the foreskin
swelling at the end of the penis
For more information specifically about penile cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/penile. For information about survival rates for penile cancer, visit this page from the American Cancer Society: cancer.org/cancer/penilecancer/detailedguide/penile-cancer-survival-rates.
Urethral cancer is a rare cancer that occurs more often in men than in women. The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. In women, the urethra is about 1½ inches long and is just above the vagina. In men, the urethra is about 8 inches long. It goes through the prostate gland and the penis to the outside of the body.
Urethral cancer can metastasize (spread) quickly to tissues around the urethra and has often spread to nearby lymph nodes by the time it is diagnosed. Signs of urethral cancer can include bleeding or trouble urinating.
For more information specifically about urethral cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/urethral/patient/urethral-treatment-pdq.
Adrenal cancer is considered a genitourinary cancer because the two adrenal glands sit on top of the two kidneys, one on each. What’s officially called “adrenocortical cancer” is extremely rare; the American Cancer Society estimates there are only about 300 cases diagnosed every year in the United States. Adrenocortical tumors usually make extra amounts of one or more adrenal hormones, which may cause symptoms, including:
a lump in the abdomen
pain the abdomen or back
a feeling of fullness in the abdomen
weight gain in the face, neck, and trunk of the body and thin arms and legs
growth of fine hair on the face, upper back, or arms
a round, red, full face
a deepening of the voice and swelling of the sex organs or breasts in both males and females
muscle weakness
high blood sugar
high blood pressure
For more information specifically about urethral cancer, visit this page put together by the NCI: cancer.gov/types/adrenocortical/patient/adrenocortical-treatment-pdq.
Questions to ask your oncologist about your genitourinary (GU) cancer:
What specific kind of cancer do I have?
What is my prognosis?
What is your experience in treating the cancer I have?
How will you determine the best treatment for me?
How long does each treatment option typically last, both individually and as a series of treatments?
How will you know if the treatment is making progress?
For more information about various types of cancer, cancer staging and treatment options, click on this link from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN): NCCN Guidelines for Patients® - nccn.org/patients/default.aspx.
For more information about scheduling an appointment at Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s, please call (602) 406-8222.
You can minimize your risk of developing prostate and testicular cancer through these four steps:
Avoid using tobacco products.
Take appropriate precautions if you work around chemicals used in the rubber, leather, textiles, paint products, and printing industries. If you do work in these industries, it’s especially important not to smoke.
Maintain a healthy body weight.
Men should not take Vitamin E supplements. They have been found to increase risk of prostate cancer.